Four years ago the Palm Coast City Council listed an expansion of city support for arts and culture among its top long-range goals. That goal is taking another hit this year. While the city is spending tens of thousands of dollars on its own special events, it is scaling back the amount of money it is awarding independent, non-profit cultural organizations in town. The city administration is recommending awards to 11 organizations totaling $20,000 this year, almost half the requested amounts.

The city’s accounts are a bit confused on that score: in one tally sheet, the total requested is listed at $35,000. In a different summary of the program, the total request is listed at $39,000. Both sheets put the recommended award total at $20,000.

In 2007, Palm Coast had a $40,000 budget for cultural grants and handed out $31,595 between 10 arts groups. The city handed about the same amount the following year, but after developing tighter eligibility standards, the amount fell to $23,830 in 2009, split between eight organizations. Nine organizations were turned down because they didn’t meet the city’s definition of supporting the arts.

Those turned down last year included the Flagler Parent Foundation, the Florida Agricultural Museum, the Garden Club at PalmCoast, the Hispanic American Club, the Italian American Social Club and the African American CulturalSociety. Two of those—the African American Cultural Society and the Hispanic American Club—are in line for $1,700 and $3,000 awards this year, for events similar to those they applied for last year. The African American Society was turned down for all but $830 last year when the city deemed its Juneteenth and Kwanzaa events ineligible as arts events, just as the Hispanic American Club’s Hispanic Heritage Festival was somehow deemed “not a cultural arts event.” This year, it qualifies.

To qualify, organizations have to be based in Palm Coast, they must have applied by Aug. 27, their events must be open to the public, and “the city of Palm Coast must be acknowledged and recognized on all marketing materials,” among other criteria.

They should not spend our tax dollars only to benefit the Town Center Developer, as all the city events are held in that location under any imaginable excuse! We have to hop in our cars to go to those events when some of those could be held in this side of town like Palm Harbor and or European Village and the residents around here can even go walking or cycling to the events and leave our cars home.
Lets be fair how we use our tax dollars to only benefit one developer other than also benefit the nearby residents and business in Palm Harbor and European Village too. Hope our city elected ones read this suggestion and properly address the city manager about it. Some fairness also could go a long way on making friends.